I never got into the vinyl figure craze… although I would love to, I know how expensive these figures can fetch at, especially the Japanese anime types. And I’m afraid if I got a hold of one, I gotta have more. So I’m a fan of vinyl figures from the outside looking in. I can appreciate a good looking vinyl figure when I see one; and these Android figures are awesome.

I may just pick up a few of these just to decorate my workspace and that’s it. Hopefully. Worker and CopperBot are definitely my favorites from the bunch. [Dyzplastic]

In the land of glitzy, flashy, and over-the-top showcase of Superbowl commercials, Google went against the grain with this minimal, forthright ad. It’s a story about an American man who studies abroad in France and discovers a girl there. He tries to and eventually wins her heart by learning the French language, buying here chocolates and truffles, and taking her to the best cafes and movies. Upon returning to the States, they continue to have a long distance relationship. He eventually decides to start his new life overseas with her: finding a job and buying a one-way ticket to Paris. They get married in a church and finally have their newborn baby.

This is all told in Google’s way. It’s a narrative done using actual Google search queries and maps, with accompanying sound bites and piano music for added effect. Someone on YouTube took the time to emulate the searches that were done in the commercial and he stated that 98% of the results (as well as the predicative results) were faithful to the ad. Commend Google for not using vague or deceptive advertising, and actually showcasing their product as is (WTF do horses have to do with beer?).

Nothing here to grand. No celebrities, bikini-clad models, talking animals, or loony mascot characters doing crazy things. Just the life of an everyday man through Google’s eyes. Google wants to show that despite how technical their product is, it can associate with the individual on a personal level. It can help you with your everyday lives.

Google won on all fronts with this commercial: clever direction and storytelling, showcase of its product in both form and function, applying the personal touch, and cost-effectiveness (I’m willing to bet it cost no more than $10,000 to produce this commercial).

With one commercial, Google effectively one-upped Microsoft’s multitude of Bing commercials. I find soccer moms and sparkling vampires annoying. [YouTube]

Some people close to me are baffled that I actually maintain a blog. I certainly don’t look the type. And to compound that, not many people visit it. So why do I do it? I like to write and leave my thoughts or experiences on record. It’s mostly for my own use and amusement, like a journal. I’m sentimental like that. But if someone can take anything away from reading my entries, then great!

Anyway I’ll be heading over to the east coast in a few weeks for a week-long vacation, which I haven’t had one for years. Long overdue and much deserved. My long-time friend in North Carolina just had her first child, so I want to meet her new bundle of joy. Along with North Carolina, I’ll be swinging by Philadelphia, D.C., and New York. I haven’t been back to my birthtown Philadelphia since I left when I was a lil baby. I’m looking forward to it as well as the authentic Philly cheesesteaks! I’m tired of fake-ass Philly’s Best lol. Pat’s and Geno’s, here I come! Also looking forward to New York. Everyone should at least visit there once in their lifetime.

Visiting these new places will give me plenty of photo ops. I recently upgraded my camera gear. Just got a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L lens for only $900, not bad. If you want to know what I’m sporting:

• Canon 40D
• Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
• Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L
• Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L

I may be upgrading my gear too fast for my own good. I only had a shoddy Rebel XSi with a kit lens just a year ago. I can’t help it. I have a compulsive disorder. Girls buy new shoes every week, I buy gear. My next upgrade will be the 5D Mark II! Man, she’s sexy… People always say the key to great shots is not the camera; it’s the person behind it and, to a great extent, the glass. That may be true, but a damn good camera can sure HELP! Hopefully I can get it by this summer. Once I have that, I’ll be set for awhile. I promise.

Hopefully with my new gear, I can take great shots like these, which will be my inspirations for the trip.

Things around here are looking really bad right now. This is the worst of California wildfires I’ve experienced since 2003. The smoke is reddening my eyes, the stench is polluting my sinuses, the ashes are littering my car. Air quality is REALLY bad.

I thought it was pretty bad with the yellow mornings and red evenings, but didn’t know how bad until I saw this time-lapse footage from Brandon Riza. It looks like a goddamn volcanic eruption. [Brandon Riza]

Update: Microsoft has issued an apology on this matter. Now we await for their apology for IE6… [CNET]